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West Ashby Henge

Henge

Also known as:
  • Shearman's Wath Henge

Nearest Town:Horncastle (3km SSE)
OS Ref (GB):   TF253716 / Sheet: 122
Latitude:53° 13' 34.6" N
Longitude:   0° 7' 22.16" W

Added by BrigantesNation


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Details of henge on Pastscape

Oval cropmark, diameter c.25 m of henge monument, class II, with opposed entrances known from JK St Joseph AP's BCG82-84. Ditch is encircled by series of pits. Neolithic flints from fieldwalking include cores and scrapers. (See also TF 27 SW/14). (1-2)
TF 254 716. Shearman's Wath henge. Scheduled no. LI/265. (3)
Small sub-circular enclosure, known from cropmarks, situated at c 36.5m above OD. Enclosure is defined by faint, irregular cropmarks of a ditch with an entrance to the NW; a less certain entrance to the SE and a possible break to the ESE. The enclosure is surrounded by a partial circuit of pits of which 19 are visible.Internal diameter 17-5-18.5m. Described by Harding and Lee as a probable henge. (4)
The Neolithic or Bronze Age henge referred to by the previous authorities was seen as cropmarks and mapped from good quality air photographs. The henge has an internal diameter of c20m and the diameter of the outer ring of pits is c26m. The henge is more accurately located at TF 2538 7168. (Morph No. LI.138.1.1)
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database.
Chance Posted by Chance
28th December 2014ce

Although there remains nothing to see on the ground this is nevertheless an important site in the understanding and unfolding story of prehistoric Lincolnshire. It was first discovered by the aerial photography of crop marks in the 1970's that revealed a slightly oval area measuring about 25 metres in diameter surrounded by a 2 metre wide segmented ditch with entrances to the northwest and southeast, making this a Class II henge. No trace of the external bank that we might expect to find associated with this type of monument has been found but we could reasonably assume that this would have extended the size of the monument by another 2-3 metres on either side. Just beyond this proposed bank was discovered a ring of 24 pits or post holes, whether these were originally left as pits, perhaps for ceremonial offerings, or used to support wooden posts is not known at present but an extract from English Heritage's scheduling report of the site tantalisingly suggests that they may have held standing stones. Personally I think this is highly unlikely as there appears to be almost no tradition of the use of stone within Lincolnshire (or at least no surviving evidence) - it is not used at other sites, so why here, and where would this stone have come from?
Looking at aerial photographs of the site shows what looks like the dried remains of a stream or river just to the east of the current course of the River Bain - was this the original course of the river? If so then the henge was closer to the Bain than it is now and this might strengthen the argument that this site was somehow linked to other sites that could be associated with the Bain such as Grim's Mound and Ludford Barrow further north.
Chris Collyer Posted by Chris Collyer
26th July 2007ce

This probable henge monument, the first identified in Lincolnshire has been identified by crop marks. In measures approx. 20m in diameter, has two entrances (type II) which are aligned on a north west - south east axis. The outer mound was surrounded with at least 24 pits which were equally placed around its circumference, these probably held posts. The henge is not truely circular and is ovoid with it's longest diameter being in line with the entrance axis.

It has been likened to the Millfield North henge in Northumberland.
Posted by BrigantesNation
11th August 2003ce